Fraud and corruption - a global perspective

Challenges

Curtin University achieves its strategic objectives using its own staff, external partners and collaborators, agents and intermediaries, contractors, consultants and other parties who operate at a local, national and international level. This creates some challenges in relation to the management of fraud and corruption risks:

• There is increased exposure from having to deal with governments, institutions and officials in foreign countries where there may be a greater propensity for fraudulent or corrupt behaviour. The reality of the situation is highlighted in such global indices/surveys as:
  
  - The Global Corruption Index
  - The Corruption Perceptions Index
  - The Bribe Payers Index
  - Ernst & Young - EMEIA Survey
  
  The indices/surveys also reveal, however, that risk to the University is reduced by way of the relatively low levels of corruption in Australian society and institutions, and the lower likelihood of Australian companies engaging in bribery overseas. Nevertheless, the University's fraud and corruption control framework recognises these risks and the need for controls to minimise or manage them.

• Further to the above, overseas anti-corruption and anti-fraud legislative/regulatory regimes are maturing and expanding with extra-terrritorial reach. The University is faced with the possibility of sanctions being imposed should its staff, partners or agents, while conducting University business, engage in behaviour that is caught by the rules and regulations under those regimes e.g. bribery of foreign officials.
  
  The University recognises that in performing certain business activities such as locating and developing international campuses and promoting the enrolment of international students, it must operate in accordance with relevant foreign anti-bribery or anti-corruption legislation, in particular, the:

  • Bribery Act 2010 (UK)
  • Foreign Corrupt Practices Act 1977 (US)
  • Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 (Malaysia)
  • Prevention of Corruption Act 1993 (Singapore)
  • UAE Penal Code - Federal Law 3/1987 (Dubai)
  • Prevention of Corruption Act 2002 (Mauritius)

  Compliance with these items of legislation has been assigned to a Compliance Officer in accordance with the University's Compliance Framework.